Growing Population, Growing Concerns: Minority Healthcare Must Take Precedence

Latinos have ascended to the largest minority population in the United States, comprising almost 16% of the total population in the country. With this unprecedented number, we have yet to fully discern the full range and impact of the challenges our communities face. It is clear, however, that health care is an often devastating challenge confronting millions of Hispanics.

National Minority Health Month is this month, and for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), it renews the need for us to stress the gross health care inequalities faced by Latino and other minority populations. Hispanics compose a significant portion of the nation's workforce; failure to remedy our current health care system ensures a precarious, uncertain future for our country.

Combined with other issues such as poverty and lack of access to educational opportunities, too many children are stuck in a very hard place. Their parents or parent might be working several part-time jobs, or have other factors that are a roadblock to their financial security.

Currently, about 1 out of 3 Hispanics are uninsured - a disheartening statistic reflecting an inability to address medical emergencies that leaves families vulnerable. They must rely on public health care services, like Medicare and Medicaid, to provide for their needs. Approximately 40% of Hispanic children are beneficiaries of such public services.

However, the vacuous rhetoric employed by Republicans and the current administration against the expansion of programs like SCHIP demonstrates the difficulties that lie ahead. In their continual diatribe against immigrants, Republicans have fervently lobbied against any effort focused on extending assistance to these needy families. In turn, they have relegated the issue of health to mere politics, and legal immigrant children paid the price for that last year in SCHIP negotiations.

We believe that this strident, stubborn opposition to helping deserving families in need accomplishes nothing but exacerbating the disparities within the health care system.

The CHC recognizes the relevance of this issue to Hispanics, and has been active in spearheading legislation to recalibrate the health care system. With the help of the TriCaucus (the coalition of the CHC, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus), Rep. Hilda Solis (CA-32), Chair of the CHC Health and the Environment Task Force, has introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act, H.R. 3014.

The League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States, has praised this piece of legislation, as it "underscores the major problems concerning the current national health disparities crises and lack of healthcare services in under-served communities."

Latino children are less likely to receive adequate medical care, such as routine examinations and vaccinations. Latinos and African-Americans comprise 60% of all HIV/AIDS cases in the country. It is evident that priority must be given to diminishing these health disparities. If we have any chance of fixing health care for our community as a whole, action must be taken now.

In the spirit of National Minority Health month, we at the CHC will continue to strive and fight for equitable, quality health care. It is a commitment we have held for many years, and a commitment that will continue.

We currently live in a society where people of color face dangerous and unjust inequalities -- in health care and beyond. It is a remarkably devastating reality that should not be tolerated.

Comments

[MourningDude]

According to a new report, almost 46 billion dollars is being sent "back home" from 'immigrants' here in the US.

How about adding a new tax on overseas remittances? 5% of any money transfer to an individual residing outside the country, with a minimum charge of $25?

That would raise almost 3 billion dollars per year, which could be used to defray some of the burden of illegal immigration.

[MourningDude]

My 3 year old son could teach you a lesson here, Rep. Baca. Last week his brother accomplished an important goal, and we took him to the store to pick out a reward. When we got home, the 3 year old stole it away when nobody was looking. When the older one found out, he was upset and told us what had happened. We made him give back the thing he stole, and the 3 year old was upset about it. He told us "But he was not sharing!" We had to explain to him that by STEALING, the other person never has a chance to share.

What we have here are millions of illegals who came in a broke our laws to steal a place in our society. When they get hurt or sick they go to hospitals and steal health care. When they have kids, they steal our education resources. And then when we complain about being robbed, they say we're selfish!

Perhaps it's understandable for a 3 year old to believe that line of reasoning, but come on people, we're all adults here. It's clear what's happening and who's in the right and who's in the wrong.

After we made our 3 year old give it back and apologize, he asked his brother if he could play with it, and the older brother shared it with him. We're the most generous nation on earth on immigration policy. Let us be generous by asking, instead of robbing us.

[clr2]

So true!

[TXfemmom]

Representative, I want Universal good coverage for all U. S. citizens, and that means citizens. Undocumented workers deserve emergency care and a ticket back home.

I live in an area where we have undocumented Latinos running out our ears, and I am tiring of seeing them with two children running around while their parents pay no attention to them in stores, Mom has one in a baby carriage and another in the oven, and I know that I am paying taxes for her maternity care and their health care, paying higher insurance rates because they don't have health insurance, care insurance, any kind of insurance, and ditto for our schools.

There is no way that those undocumented workers are paying their way, and this country is in a situation right now where we have to take care of those who are here legally, and all the people here from whatever part of the world illegally need to go home.

[DallasMike]

The problem with Joe is he is out of touch with what regular Americans have to go through when it comes to doctors and the such.
Joe does not have to pay for health care. He gets his for free
He does not have to worry about Medicare, Medicade or Social Security he will get his Congressonal salary for life.
Joe if you want to do some thing good for the American people?
Propose a bill to eliminate all your healthcare and Social Security Perks and live like the rest of us poor Americans.

[clr2]

Deport all ILLEGAL ALIENS and we would have more money to spend on our own citizens. We spend BILLIONS to provide health care for people who don't belong here.

[Overd0g]

Thank you, oh sane one.

[rwe]

Rep Joe.. The Republican version of SCHIP would prevent the abuse of the funds by limiting the eligibility to poor children , (remember your SCHIP would have included kids from families making upwards of 80k and aged to 25) Also , the healthcare costs would be manageable if it were NOT for the ILLEGALS DRAINING THE RESOURCES.

[torrrep]

I have a question for some of you libs. Help me out here. You ask for national health care. In theory I think it would be great, however, we all know that government can't run ANYTHING efficiently. Look at medicare, medicaid, etc. Also you have not addressed the question of who would provide all of this care. Have any of you been to a doctor lately? Do you know how long you have to wait to get in? I've been to several different doctors and specialists and sometimes you wait an hour or more each time to get in. Hospitals right now are understaffed. Look at the adds for nurses in ANY major city. Most hospitals in California are understaffed. We have been importing nurses from foreign countries for years. But you never mention that. Now. Fast forward a year from now. Obama is office and he mandates national health care. Great. Now add several million people to the waiting rooms and emergency rooms that are already understaffed. Who is going to take care of these people? What is the point of national health care if you have to wait 6 months to see a specialist? You think these people will just automatically be taken care of? Someone give me a reasonable answer. No name calling. No insults. Just an honest answer of how you would make it work.

[Overd0g]

Why would it be great in theory? Great for who?

[milo9]

Baca, In my mind your from the old guard Clintonion "Indenty Politics" school. Your clique threw your lot in with Hillary and now are covering your bases because it looks your girl's a loser. Quit pandering to identity and address the needs of all citizens.

[Wiarton]

Baby Boomers need healthcare, too, not just the kids, a constant whine that is driving me nuts, since I am a Boomer.

[morbie5]

The national average for hispanic births is 3 children per woman. The rates for every other non-hispanic of all colors is around 2 children per woman. Rep Baca states "Currently, about 1 out of 3 Hispanics are uninsured". How many of those people are children that come from 3 child households? Now if hispanics had two children like the rest of us that stat would go down dramatically. If you can't afford to have lots of children and you still have them don't blame the rest of us. We have health care problems too.

[darcy]

Well said, morbie!

[TXfemmom]

Joe, I am all for treating and improving healthcare for Latinos...ALL OF THEM THAT ARE HERE LEGALLY. If we didn't have to take care of the illegal ones, our resources could be used to treat Latinos who are here legally.

[Bladernr1001]

Joe!

So many of these latinos without healthcare are ILLEGAL!!!!!!

This is the fallout you get when you let millions of poor uneducated people into a welfare state such as ours. They start sucking down the resources at a greater rate than they can possibly contribute. And who pays the bills? The taxpayers who are legally here. Joe, shouldn't your allegiance be to the taxpayers first (they elected you....I think). Ultimatley.....where are you going to get the money???? You can print all the money you want but you still have a finite amount of resources. This is why socialism does not work.

This is not at its core a racist debate....it is all about how to distribute limited resources and who should pay for them. It is immoral for you to expect us taxpayers to pick up the tab for these people by coercsion. And it is even more immoral to say that these people coming into our country illegally should be entitled to that which they have neither contributed or worked for. We worked for it and the government took it away from us.

For the record, the only reason I am not in favor of open boarders is only because of the existence of the welfare state in this country. Otherwise I would be totally in favor of boarderless labor markets. I am good friends with many latinos (I live in CA) but what you are proposing will ultimately lead to economic collapse.

[THEhillbilly]

Hillbilies should be first in line for the special privileges and handouts you're demanding. We've been here since our ancestors' indentured servitude days, and sure as hell very, very few if any of them obnoxiously and unlawfully barged into the head of the line of law-abiding immigration applicants. Never mind the fact that we do whatever we can to support ourselves. Give us free stuff.

Okay, never mind that. It was just some mild scoffing at your ridiculous demands. Hillbillies don't want the government to treat the symptoms of whatever problems they might have. They don't want the government to take their money and treat yours, either. They find ways (e.g. jobs) to support themselves. Handouts are insulting.

[colleen2]

Mr Baca,

Lack of affordable healthcare and people being underinsured or uninsured is a problem for huge percentages of ALL races in this country, not just the Hispanic population. This is particularly true of women and children. It's one of the reasons Cuba has a lower maternal and infant mortality rate than the US. Way to govern!

PS I greatly admire the Sanchez sisters and will never forget or forgive you calling one of them a whore.

[cla62]

Seeing that Baca is s enthusiastic about dipping into our pockets for more tax dollars for his free cheese projects, let's first make it mandatory that anyone over the age of 18 that is going to get this free health insurance either must be gainfully employed or gainfully looking for employment. Oh no, that would be uncostitutional wouldn't it? Lazy people that want more free cheese to actually be held accountable and have to show some kind of use to society to maintain their free cheese eating status!!